The Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Story

By Tim Finnegan, General Manager

Back in July of this year I received a phone call from my friend and long-time customer, New York-based music mixer/editor Joe Raia. Joe told me about a friend of his who asked him if he knew of anyone in the NYC area that could help design, provide, and install a DJ/recording set-up for the ABC series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Joe's answer was Dale Pro Audio.

I very quickly contacted Joe's friend who is a producer on the show. She gave me the scope of the project. The Marrero Family of Camden, NJ were to soon learn that they would be receiving a new home provided by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The Marrero’s had been living in extremely difficult poverty. Victor Marrero, a single father, and his five sons were to be sent to a wonderful vacation in Spain while their new home was being built from the ground up...lawn, plants, everything.....in less than 1 week! Dale Pro Audio's role was to give the eldest son, Billy Joe Marrero, the recording studio of his dreams. A DJ, musician, and songwriter, Billy Joe had long wanted to help his ailing father make ends meet financially by having some success with his own musical creativity.

For our part, we went right to work. Dale Pro Audio's David Roman, Kevin Huppert, and James Bentley were the principal designers and installers of the studio system. We learned the dimensions and layout of the room we would turn into Billy Joe's music studio. With the help of some of our audio manufacturer partners, we designed and donated a wonderful collection of products that would provide Billy Joe with the ability to create music professionally.

Room treatment was specified. Plans for the equipment furniture were sent off to the on-site woodworkers. Microphone, compressor, pre-amp, speakers, keyboard, effects, turntable, patch-bay, and editing system were all chosen. Software was installed into the computer. The whole system was wired, labeled and tested. We knew we would not have much of a window of time to install everything once we were at the new house. This new studio system needed to be able to be installed, wired, and ready to go quickly.

In the midst of the system assembly, Dale Pro Audio got visited by Paul DiMeo, the show's designer for Billy Joe's room. Paul made a trip from the site of the new house "up the New Jersey Turnpike" to Dale Pro Audio to test some microphones, inspect the progress of the system we were assembling, and have some fun of his own with the studio system  that would soon be Billy Joe's. With Paul came a film crew to document his visit for the show.

We finally learned from the show's producers the date for the installation. Kevin Huppert and I loaded up our vehicles with the products and drove down to Pennsauken, NJ, the Marrero Family's new home town. To drive up to this newly-constructed home and consider that less than seven days ago it was nothing but a vacant lot was amazing! When we arrived there were hundreds of people busy in unbelievably organized chaos. It also happened to be maybe the single hottest week of the summer. All throughout the day there was never a person to be found around this home in the making that was anything but focused on their task with a happy and helpful attitude. There was one goal in mind: have this home ready for the Marrero’s arrival the very next day!

Everything installed easily. Valerie and Michael Lager, owners of Dale Pro Audio, arrived to help out as well. Room treatment went up on the ceiling and walls. The equipment furniture arrived so that we could rack the gear. The pre-labeled wiring made for quick and easy connections. The computer booted right up and everything worked as expected. Part of the joy was watching all of the show's designers joined by volunteers and construction people of all types file into what was to be Billy Joe's new room. Most of these people had never seen a music studio before, let alone one put together so fast in a bedroom! It was the absolute HIT of the new house.

As you read this, the Marrero Family have been living in their new home for about two months. We have visited Billy Joe to give him some in-depth  training and general audio knowledge. This young man was completely appreciative of everything that has been bestowed upon him. He has already become very at ease with his new system and has put it to great use. I also had a chance to sit down with Victor Marrero. This man was very thankful for all that we’d done. THAT was reality TV for me.

To have been a part of this is what has brought all of us at Dale Pro Audio such pride and gratification. We helped a family that really needed it.

The players:

From Dale Pro Audio: Michael Lager, Valerie Lager, David Roman, Kevin Huppert, James Bentley, Tim Finnegan

Manufacturers of donated equipmnet: Apple, Auralex, Digidesign, Neumann, Roland/Edirol, Summit Audio, Yamaha

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: Paul DiMeo